MEDIA REACTION: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003231 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave significant coverage September 16-18 to a peaceful high-profile parade launched by the "Oust Bian" campaign to "besiege" the Presidential Office and Residence last Friday evening; and to a mass "Formosa Sunrise" rally initiated by the Taiwan Society on Ketagalan Boulevard last Saturday "in support of democracy and stability in Taiwan." The pro-status quo "China Times" ran a front-page banner headline September 17 that read: "Mark Chen Relays: Bian Guarantees Completion of his Term." The same paper also ran a banner headline on page two on September 18 that said "Believing That Prosecutors Will Likely Seal the Entire Batch of Findings, Bian Has Faith That He Will Not Be Pulled Down." The pro-unification "United Daily News," on the other hand, front-paged the results of its latest survey September 17, which showed that in the wake of last Friday's "siege," 55 percent of those polled said they support the call for President Chen Shui-bian's resignation, and 56 percent said they hope Premier Su Tseng-chang will step forward and participate in the anti-corruption movement. ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, said the two major mass movements conducted over the weekend demonstrated the diversity and tolerance of Taiwan's democratic society. A "China Times" commentary, however, criticized the DPP for its decision to confront the people who oppose corruption and thus further isolate the party from the Taiwan public. End summary. A) "Mass Movements in a Democratic Society Must Maintain Peace, Rationality, and Tolerance" The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] editorialized (9/18): "... The two large-scale mass movements [over the weekend] demonstrated the diversity and tolerance of the democratic society of Taiwan; they also symbolized the maturity of Taiwan's democracy. Taiwan's democracy has protected the lives, property and safety of the majority of the Taiwan people, offering them freedom from fear and from being beaten by those who hold different opinions from them. Democracy pays no heed to different political parties or colors, and the public in a democratic society must be peaceful and rational. Any careerists or media outlets that attempt to divide the people by colors, or to incite conflicts and confrontations just to gain political resources and benefits, are extremely unethical and will eventually be condemned by the people." B) "Other Than Supporting Bian, What Else Can the DPP Do?" Chen Fang-ming, head of National Chengchi University's Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature, commented in the pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (9/18): "... The siege on September 15 was a world-shaking incident in the history of [Taiwan's] democratic movements, and its historical significance was tantamount to that of the Formosa Incident. This vast, robust wave of people power, which started with rationality and ended in peace, has fully demonstrated Taiwan's mature democratic ideals. In the face of such a highly restrained gathering of people, how can the DPP authorities not carefully reflect on themselves and try to take public opinion into account? "The support Bian movement launched by the Taiwan Society on September 16 deserves our respect, too. But the DPP's unexpected lift of its ban to allow the Green legislators to participate in such a spontaneous movement initiated by the private sector was naturally a move that was meant to please Bian. When the DPP mobilized its supporters to fight the anti-graft campaign, it was akin to acknowledging that President A-Bian has lost everything. Since the DPP has repeatedly claimed that A-Bian is a popularly elected president, he is therefore a president for all the people. But the DPP chose to confront those people who oppose corruption, and such a move has turned A-Bian into a president for those who support him only. This move to divide [the party from] the people has again exposed the crisis of the DPP's increasing isolation. "The self-isolation of A-Bian and the DPP was by no means achieved in one day. Over the past six years, all the political party leaders have given up the desire to engage in a dialogue with A-Bian. Not only the pan-Blue leaders such as Lien Chan, James Soong, and Ma Ying-jeou no longer want to communicate with A-Bian, but the former DPP chairmen such as Shih Ming-teh and Hsu Hsin-liang also shared nothing in common with him. People such as Lin Yi-hsiung, whom all Green voters respect, and pan-Green leader Lee Teng-hui, likewise no longer want to have anything to do with A-Bian. Given such a fact, does it mean that everyone is wrong except for A-Bian? When we look around all the democratic countries in the world, is there any state leader that is as lonely as A-Bian? "Now A-Bian is trying very hard to draw a line between himself and Vice President Annette Lu. The Taiwan Society forced Lu clearly to state her stance and rejected her from joining the movement to support Bian. In the face of such inner struggles, A-Bian, Yu Shyi-kun, and even other high-ranking DPP officials all remained silent. Dividing Taiwan seems not enough; the DPP is even starting to divide its own party. The DPP now is no longer the party that people have known over the past years. It isolates itself from the outside, and it isolates itself within its own party as well. The DPP has lost all of its wisdom. As long as such a state of isolation and division continues, even Su Tseng-chang's attempt to administer are doomed to failure, let alone the fact that Frank Hsieh and Chen Chu are both ready to run in the Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral races. ..." YOUNG